ABSTRACT
Successive US administrations have determined that friendly Sino-American relations are in the national security interests of the United States. In terms of China’s national power, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is one of the major countries of the world. Its strength is rapidly increasing under the socialist modernization program of Deng Xiaoping and his reformist faction. US interests are served by a moderately strong, stable China, pursuing a policy of broad contact with the West and friendly relations with the United States. Beijing recognizes that US efforts to counter the Soviet military presence in East Asia provide China with some degree of deterrence against a Soviet attack. In terms of military capabilities, the PRC is overwhelming superior to Taiwan in several categories such as surface-to-surface missiles, bombers, fighters, infantry divisions, submarines, fast attack craft, and surface missile craft.
